What You Can't See
Dated
"He's quite handsome, actually."
"Grace, please," Olivia said, letting out a sigh as she sat in her room with Grace and their friend Fiona.
"Maybe Grace should date him since you seem super uninterested," Fiona said, smirking.
"I never said I wasn't interested," Olivia said. "I just—it was really weird, Grace asking for me. And I've not had a chance to really get to know him."
"You can get to know him on the date," Fiona said, tossing a pillow at Olivia's head.
"Plus, had you gotten to know him before a date you might have found something wrong with him," Olivia laughed, not caring about the discomfort she'd caused between Olivia and Regulus.
"So, when's the date?" Fiona asked.
"Don't know," Olivia said.
"He kind of took off before setting in stone when let alone where," Grace said.
"And who's fault was that?" Olivia shook her head. "The fact he agreed to the date didn't make the situation any less awkward, particularly after you practically sat on him."
"It's not my fault I didn't see him!" Grace protested.
"Wait," Fiona said. "So Grace didn't see a handsome boy, yet she says he's handsome?"
"I don't know," Grace said, letting out a sigh. "There's kind of an enigma about him. Uh, what is his name? You did get his name, right?"
"Regulus," Olivia said.
"Who names their kid that?" Fiona frowned.
"Apparently one who likes naming their kid after the stars, kind of like how my family likes naming kids after characters from Shakespeare," Olivia said.
"Man," Grace let out a whistle. "It is a match made in heaven."
"I don't know," Olivia said, still remembering how Regulus told her she shouldn't be able to see him, how Grace hadn't been able to see him until she practically sat in the poor boy's lap. "And yet she isn't wrong about me being drawn to him. If there is a reason why I am able to see him and nobody else is, I'd like to know, although I'm not sure I will. I mean, I might not be able to see him again."
"What's the matter?" Fiona asked. "Are you worried he'll turn out to be a dud rather than what you hope for? Nobodies perfect, Liv."
"I'm just worried about not being able to see him again," Olivia said, not going into details regarding what transpired before riding with Grace, that she'd been looking for him, although Grace did have some of the details.
"Oh, come on," Grace said. "He seemed like a perfect gentleman." She leaned forward. "In fact, the way he dressed, I would have thought him some kind of noble; that's how proper this handsome Regulus is."
"Ooh," Fiona said. "I do hope you get a date with him, but when you do, let us help you pick out a dress."
"No!" Olivia said, shaking her head. "You two—I've seen what you wear on dates."
Grace nodded her head. "You're right, which is why we're not going to."
"What?" Fiona said. "What do you mean we won't pick out her outfit?"
"I didn't say that," Grace laughed. "What I said was that we'll not pick out something we'd wear to one of our dates. It needs to be—well, different. I mean, he is a proper gentleman, so showing some skin…."
"Don't even think it!" Olivia picked up the pillow, throwing it at her. "I don't expect anything to come of this!"
Yet she was wrong.
Regulus was on the bus a few days later, but he moved over to her this time, clearing his voice. The boy—he was obviously nervous, making Olivia even more nervous. "So."
"So," she repeated.
"About the date thing," Regulus said.
"You don't have to. I mean, my friend popped the question out of the blue," Olivia said.
"I want to," he said. "Although I admit I have absolutely no clue what to do on the date, will the thirty-first of July work for you? We can do anything you want for the date."
"The thirty-first?" Olivia asked. "Any reason for that date?"
"It's my birthday," he said, his face flushing slightly. "Not a big deal."
"Yes, it is," Olivia said. "Are you sure you don't want to spend time with family?"
"I've already," he started saying. "It's fine. You could say this is making up for a lousy birthday last year. But I really don't have any clue what to do on a date, let alone any of the places teenagers hang out in your small town."
"Oh! I'm actually from the next town over. But it is a place the kids from my town come to hang out a lot, but I can pick some things out to do," she said. She tilted her head. "So you've never been to the library?"
"There's a library?" Regulus perked up.
"Well, yes, but unless your date is a study date, the library isn't appropriate for a date. A movie and pizza?"
"A movie and a pizza it is. Meet you at the same time you usually see me?"
"Yes, although we might have to wait for the movie. And the pizza. And it might be crowded. You don't like crowds, do you?"
"I," Regulus paused, eyes blinking, thinking about it. "I don't, actually. Hadn't really thought about it. How did you guess?"
"I guessed because you didn't want to be noticed," Olivia said. She started talking to him about books then, and he nodded. "I'm not boring you, am I?"
"No. I tend to," he said. "I mostly don't read made-up stories, to be honest?"
"Fiction, you mean?"
"What would stuff that isn't fiction be called?"
"You mean non-fiction?" Olivia laughed, watching him wince. "Sorry."
"No. It's okay," Regulus said. He let out a laugh. "I guess I need to get out into the world more, as I'm a bit naive about certain things."
"Sheltered?" Olivia said. "Are you sure…."
"I'll be turning seventeen, so I'll be considered an adult," Regulus said.
"Ah," Olivia said. "Well, I'll see you on your birthday. And have fun with your older brother."
"Yeah," Regulus said, smiling as she got off the bus with him. "Not sure if he'll want to see me today. He can be annoying sometimes."
Olivia nodded her head. "I've actually three older brothers, so I get how they can sometimes be annoying."
"Ah," Regulus said. "See you for the date then. And I'd love to hear more about the books if you don't mind. I like books, even if I haven't gotten to read much fiction. Yet."
"Well, I won't spoil any of the endings then," Olivia said, finding herself quite excited. "There's definitely something about him, about Regulus."